by Kunz, C. A.
“No, he is still as stubborn as always, and has yet to rid himself of his drinking addiction,” he replied with a smirk.
“This is no joke, Andrei! You are seriously trying my patience!”
“Now, now, Lisbeth, calm yourself,” Valdir said placidly as he strolled up to the pair. His footsteps on the white marble floor echoed throughout the vast space. “There is no reason to shout, my dear. Andrei seems to be doing his best to locate the Childe. Is that not right, Andrei?” Valdir asked looking pointedly at him. Andrei nodded. Lisbeth crossed her arms in anger and let out a huff of annoyance. “See Lisbeth, there is nothing to fret over. Time is on our side. Neither our master Cain, nor the Parliament are aware of this situation. As long as we keep on top of it, we can rid ourselves of this issue before it escalates.”
“But my visions are becoming stronger. This Childe seems to be different,” Lisbeth whispered anxiously.
“Yes, and her appearance has not been the same from vision to vision. At first she had black hair and now she has bright red, curly hair. Maybe you are losing your touch, old girl,” Andrei stated dryly.
“I have had just about enough of you!”
“Silence you two! I tire of your incessant arguing!” Valdir whispered. “Maybe it is time for all of us to pay a visit to our dear Lucien. It would seem that a little persuading is in order.”
“I have a plan, Valdir. Give me a little while longer and Lucien will be compliant with our wishes,” Andrei stated confidently.
“What are you playing at, Andrei? You have been at this for quite some time now, with no results!” Lisbeth put her hand up protesting Valdir’s attempted interruption. “Let me finish! You have always been a little sneak, and I have never trusted you. You’re just lucky that I cannot see into your mind. But trust me when I say, when I do find out, you will no longer be Cain’s favorite little errand boy,” Lisbeth whispered angrily, glaring at Andrei. Giving a glance to Valdir, she stormed out of the great hall.
“That woman is such a nuisance,” Andrei commented, leaning back in the ornate, dark red wood high back chair he was sitting in.
“Quiet, Andrei,” Valdir muttered as he spun to look Andrei dead in the eyes. “I know what you have been up to in Astoria. For your sake, it better pan out. I am tired of cleaning up your messes! If those girls cause any issues for us, you will be kissing sunlight. Understood?” he growled, his eyes turning jet black. Andrei looked at him with shock written all over his face.
“How do you know?”
“Don’t concern yourself with that. Just make due on your promise, and bring Lucien back to us. And find the Childe!”
Andrei stormed into his personal chambers, his normally deathly pale face was bright red with anger. “What am I, some kind of servant at their beck and call? I will show them. Yes, I will find the Childe and bring her…directly to Cain. Those bumbling fools will receive no credit for this! The only decision I will have to make is will the Childe be alive or dead when I present it as a gift to him.”
Holding a piece of paper in her hand, Linda scanned it from top to bottom. Coming face to face with her slightly fuzzy, black-and-white picture, she stopped. I look so happy. She traced the picture with her index finger and then read the heading on the flyer, “Missing.” Of course my family is looking for me, why wouldn’t they be? She thought.
“You really need to stop dwelling, Linda,” Becca stated nonchalantly, her voice echoing slightly in the abandoned tunnels beneath Astoria. Many years ago, the tunnels were used for drainage, but now were vacant and dilapidated. The limestone walls of the tunnels were grungy and most of the metal gates that separated the many chambers connecting the tunnels were now rusted. They were officially condemned thirty years prior.
“Becca, don’t you ever miss your family…your friends?” Linda asked while still looking at her picture.
Becca thought about it for a few seconds and then said, “Not really. What about you, Amy?”
“Like my family really cares about me! Did you see the picture they picked for my flyer? It’s hideous! They only want me back so they can put me back in juvie so they know where I am at all times,” Amy answered as she stared directly at Linda, her eyes turning jet black. “Besides, now we’re vampires. How could you miss being an insignificant human?” Linda didn’t answer.
I wish I could just go home, I don’t belong here with these girls. Damn you, Andrei, for doing this to me! Linda thought as she continued looking at the flyer.
“Why do you think Andrei took us in the first place?” Becca asked while she thumbed through an old issue of a fashion magazine.
“It doesn’t matter why! He just did! And if you don’t want to end up like the first girl, then I would stop asking such stupid questions,” Amy growled, baring her fangs.
“Geez Amy, you really need to relax, like pronto,” Becca murmured while rolling her eyes. Amy ripped the magazine from her hands and flung it down the tunnel, landing it in a puddle of murky water. “Hey! I was reading that.” Amy just rolled her eyes and proceeded to plop down on one of the three mattresses lying on the ground.
“I’m bored. We should go cause a little trouble or something,” Amy said mischievously.
“I agree, I’m just itching to try out these new abilities we have now that we’re vamps,” Becca stated.
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Linda said sheepishly, turning to look at them.
“Well, it’s a good thing it’s not up to you, Linda. Andrei left me in charge, remember,” Amy said.
“How could we forget,” Linda muttered under her breath.
“What did you say?” Amy asked, her eyes pinning Linda’s. “You better start falling in line, girlie, or you’ll have Andrei to deal with when he returns.”
Linda shied away at the mention of Andrei’s name and looked back at the flyer. She clutched the cell phone that she kept hidden in her pants pocket, her only link to her old life. I wish I could just call my mom and hear her voice again, she thought.
“Uh, Amy?”
“Yeah, what?”
“Before we cause a little trouble, could we get some new outfits? I’m not feeling this whole ragged look anymore,” Becca said while examining her blood-stained and torn clothes.
“Whatever,” Amy replied in an annoyed tone.
“Great, because I know the perfect place for a five-finger discount,” she said with an evil grin.
5
Sparks Fly
A hand shot up from the front row causing Mayor Markus Woods to groan inwardly. As soon as he spoke the words Founder’s Day Celebration at the town hall council meeting Markus knew that the self-appointed Queen of Astoria, Debbie Fuller, would have put in her two cents. Correction, make that fifty cents. “Yes, Mrs. Fuller. Do you have something to add?” Markus asked.
“As you all know, my mother, Carrie Winthrop, has passed the torch of ‘Head of the Event Planning Committee’ to her only daughter, moi. And with me as your leader, I think this year will be the best Founder’s Day celebration we’ve ever had,” Debbie Fuller announced arrogantly while looking around at everyone in attendance. Groans could be heard throughout the assembly as the mayor tried to restore order to the crowd.
“What great enthusiasm, Mrs. Fuller. I’m excited to see what you’ve planned for this year’s festivities,” Markus replied with an empty smile. Debbie took her seat with a look of pride on her face. “Now, moving on to the topic of ending the curfew. I’ve spoken with our sheriff, Barry Stokes, and he believes it would be okay to end the curfew effective immediately. However,” Markus said, pushing his glasses up off his nose and then cleared his throat, “I’m still asking that we express caution while traveling alone at night, especially since the culprit has yet to be apprehended.”
Rachel looked at Sam with slight concern in her eyes over the fact they had yet to figure out who was behind the disappearances. Sam squeezed her hand and smiled. Pulling her hand up to his mouth, he kissed it.
 
; “There’s one more incident I’d like to bring before you. A few nights ago, Aurora Steven's store, Squaresville, was broken into. Sheriff Stokes and I feel that it was the work of juveniles, and is being considered an isolated incident. Nothing of major value was stolen except for some clothing. Please keep a watchful eye out for suspicious activity. And if you hear anything, call our local sheriff’s office with information. Meeting adjourned,” Markus declared, banging his gavel.
“Do you feel that?” Matt asked as the group walked around downtown while on their lunch break from helping at Squaresville.
“Feel what?” Amanda replied.
“Freedom. Glorious freedom,” he exclaimed. “No more curfew means we can resume our nightly strolls to the CinePlex for midnight showings!”
“Is that all you think about, Matt? Movies?” Amanda asked, rolling her eyes.
“No, of course not. There’s girls too,” he kidded, and then flinched as Amanda punched him in the arm.
“Will you two behave? We’re in public you know,” Julie chastised jokingly.
“Yes, Mother!” The two of them responded in unison, and then Amanda punched him again for copying her.
“My mom is still locking the doors and windows every night, even though the curfew is over. Her trust in people is still iffy at best,” Elle chimed in. “And strangely, I felt safer with the curfew in place.”
Cat was quiet. She was still unsure of how to act around her friends. Even though she made up with them and things in “friend world” were back to normal, they really weren’t for her. She felt terrible for having to hide her true identity away from people she had known all her life. Just the thought of them finding out she was a freak and not wanting to be around her anymore was tearing her apart.
“Hey Cat, what do you think about the curfew being over?” Matt asked, breaking into Cat’s thoughts.
“Uh, good I guess. But what about the break-in at Squaresville. Don’t you guys feel it was kind of weird that only some girls’ clothes were taken and no money was stolen?”
“Yeah, my mom was so happy they didn’t take more. And the one night she actually leaves money in the register, we get robbed. I agree it’s weird that more wasn’t taken though.”
Cat began to reply but her attention was turned to a store front window they were passing. A large cardboard cutout of famed vampire, Bartholomew Drake, sat in the window. Cat had to lift her jaw off the floor as she stood staring in awe at the display before her. Her friends joined in. “Guys, look! A new store is opening soon! And they’re having a book launch party for Robert Craven’s new novel in the Dark Shadow series,” Cat exclaimed grinning ear to ear. A sign hung on the building, it read:
Coming Soon:
The Three Penny Brit
Bookstore & Café
“A bookstore café?! About freakin’ time we get one of these in Astoria. Seriously, we’re so far behind the times here. We don’t even have one of those Star coffee places!” Amanda stated.
“I see a potential new hang out in our future,” Cat said. “We’re so coming for the grand opening!”
Amanda’s cell phone beeped, signaling a text message. She pulled out her cell and saw the message was from her mom, it read:
Where R U? U still coming back 2 help out n the store? Luv ya!
“It’s my mom. I guess we better get back. She’s still a little freaked out by the break-in,” Amanda said as she slid her phone into her pocket. The group pulled themselves away from the store window and hurried down Exchange Street toward Squaresville.
The night of the Founder’s Day parade and fireworks spectacular had arrived. Downtown Astoria was blocked off for the parade route, and crowds of people stood along the sidewalks awaiting the arrival of the floats.
“I’ve got to hand it to Debbie Fuller, this celebration has been the best it’s ever been. That lady excels in the art of excess,” Rachel murmured to Sam as they stood by watching the parade.
Debbie and Kirsten approached in the Founder’s float dressed to the nines with crowns atop their heads. The mother-daughter team was the epitome of over doing it, complete with elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, royal waves. As the leader of the Trifecta, the three most popular girls at Astoria High, Kirsten reigned supreme as the queen bee of the school. The willowy brunette used to be the star athlete, until Cat’s arrival on the swim team, which created a one-sided-Kirsten-only rivalry between them.
Kirsten glared at Cat and Amanda as she noticed them mocking her and her mom’s royal waves.
“Taylor sure dodged a bullet by ignoring that one,” Cat quipped.
“Yeah, I mean would you look at those two? Seriously? They’re completely ridonkulous,” Amanda said.
“Well, are you really that surprised? I mean, they’re self-proclaimed town royalty,” Cat muttered, rolling her eyes.
“Man, she’s hot!” Matt exclaimed, wolf whistling at Kirsten as the Founder’s float stopped in front of their group. Kirsten sneered at him and then immediately turned her attention to the rest of the crowd, a fake smile plastered on her face.
Amanda smacked Matt across the back of the head. “Down boy, heel!” she joked as Matt glared at her while rubbing the offended area.
“We’ve got funnel cake!” Elle announced excitedly as she joined the group while juggling four plates in her hands. “We got the works of course, ice cream, strawberry topping, and powdered sugar!”
“You guys are lifesavers! Thanks for braving the crowd,” Cat said while grabbing a plate, and then began munching down the delicious-smelling dessert.
The streetlamps around the town square dimmed until the only visible lights were of the illuminations adorning the floats. “Okay, Astoria, and now the grand finale!” The announcer’s voice came through the speaker system. The rooftops of the surrounding buildings lit up as fireworks shot from them into the sky. The crowd stared in awe at the spectacle. The fireworks burst into a colorful display, painting the clouds overhead. The floats began moving again at a crawl. As the Founder’s float continued past Cat and her group, Cat saw a rogue firework sputtering toward the large tree the float was passing. The firework exploded into the tree, making it burst into flames. The crowd gasped as Kirsten and Debbie screamed, scrambling to get out of the way of a burning branch that slammed into the float.
“Kirsten, look out!” Cat yelled, pointing at another firework making a beeline for the royal pair. Hearing Cat’s yell, Kirsten dropped to the floor and pulled her mom with her. The firework whizzed by and barely brushed Kirsten’s crown. It crashed into the back of the float and set it aflame. Confetti and papier-machè from the float showered down on the street after the impact. Kirsten and her mom leapt from the burning float as the crowd scattered in a panic.
Cat and her group ducked as a firework buzzed over their heads and shattered the store window behind them, sending shards of glass crashing down on the sidewalk. Several more stray fireworks hit random floats, setting each one ablaze and leaving them burnt to a crisp.
The sound of ambulance and fire truck sirens filled the cool night air, drowning out the screams and moans of the injured and scared. Cat and her friends stood by shocked, watching the chaos continue.
“Did you like the show, Cat?” A hauntingly familiar female voice whispered into Cat’s ear. Whipping around to put a face with the voice, she found no one. Full of concern, she scanned the crowd, looking for anything out of the ordinary. In the distance on a small hill, standing in front of a group of trees, Cat noticed three deathly pale girls. Their skin radiated in the moonlight. One of them she recognized immediately. “Linda?” she whispered and moved forward trying to make her way toward her. Cat fought against the crowd that was being pushed back by the firemen and lost sight of Linda and the two strangers she was with. As she made it to the front of the crowd, Cat looked up at the group of trees again, but the girls were gone.
“Cat, what’s wrong? You just took off!” Julie asked catching up to her.
“Nothing, thou
ght I saw something,” Cat responded, still gazing at the trees.
Laughing wickedly, relishing in the chaos they just caused, the three vampire girls dashed through the tree tops. As they approached a barren clearing, the girls slowed and floated to the ground. Becca waved her hand from left to right and the trapdoor in the concrete foundation flew open. She giggled, “I never do get tired of that.”
“Did you see the look on their faces? That couldn’t have gone more perfect!” Amy announced, laughing evilly. “And Becca, great job with the fireworks. Who knew your talents would come in that handy?”
“I only wish I could’ve hit that stupid tramp Kirsten! Ugh! That girl’s so annoying,” Becca replied, and then slammed her fist into her palm.
“You’re just mad because she creamed you at swim regionals,” Amy mocked.
“Whatever! It still would’ve been cool,” Becca huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Oh, and nice touch, Linda, whispering in Cat’s ear like that. You really freaked her out,” Amy said with a menacing grin.
“All part of the plan, right? Besides, it’s not like I had a choice,” Linda remarked. A buzzing sound erupted from Linda’s pocket. Pulling out her cell, “It’s my mom!”
“Hey, that’s not fair! Why does Linda get to keep her phone?” Becca whined.
“She’s not supposed to have it,” Amy said, glaring at Linda. “Anyway, you can’t answer it! That would be against Andrei’s rules. He said we have to forget our pasts. We’re vampires now, bloodthirsty killers. There’s no room for mortals in our lives.” Grabbing the phone from Linda’s hand, it buzzed again and Amy saw Cat Colvin’s name on the screen. She looked up at Linda with fire in her eyes. “Why is Cat calling you? How does she have your-” as the answer dawned on Amy, she grinned devilishly. “You were friends with her, weren’t you? Why didn’t you tell us before?”
“Well, I was still going through the transition. How did you expect me to remember such an insignificant detail like that?” Linda hoped her true emotion didn’t show as she lied. Amy looked at Linda suspiciously as Becca snatched the phone from her hand.